On an aircraft, fuel is stored in tanks located within the wings, fuselage, or tail section. Accurately determining fuel levels within these fuel tanks is critical because the quantity of fuel determines the flight distance of the aircraft. Accurate fuel gauging can be challenging due to factors like complex fuel tank geometry and tank orientation during in-flight maneuvers.
The majority of fuel-gauging systems utilize capacitive probes disposed throughout a fuel tank to measure fuel quantity. Such systems can require a number of probes, including mounting hardware and wiring for each, to obtain accurate measurements. Alternatively, pressure-based systems measure hydrostatic pressure differential within the fuel tank to estimate fuel quantity. Such systems additionally rely on acceleration measurements from one or more independent accelerometers. Pressure-based systems generally require fewer sensors than capacitive-based systems, however, they are more sensitive to the impact of wing distortion on the fuel tank. Thus, a need exists for a system that can provide accurate measurements and account for wing bending, while requiring fewer components.